It's a recurring problem in Durham - people and cars being hit by trains.
Railroad crossings in the Bull City have been familiar scenes for injury and, in some cases, death. In numerous instances, pedestrians and drivers have found some of the crossings confusing and through a mix of circumstances, it's led to problems.
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A WRAL News report from June 2024 reported there had been at least 19 crashes in a 25-year span. Over the last 18 months, there's been seven reported incidents, not all of which happened at crossings.
The latest occurrence came on Monday morning, when another driver was hit by a train car at the intersection of Grant Street and Pettigrew Street. The driver was able to walk away with minor injuries.
In 2022, the city and the county helped submit an application through the Federal Railroad Administration Railroad Crossing Elimination program to improve safety, vehicle emissions, emergency response and walkability. The county has received about $1.2 million in federal funds and additional money from GoTriangle to work toward making the crossings safer.
Durham County commissioner Wendy Jacobs said the process is progressing and the group put out a request for proposal for the study, which ended earlier this month. Improvements will require multiple partnerships and several different avenues of funding. Durham Rail-crossing Engagement, Planning, and Innovative Revitalization (REPAIR) is looking into solutions. Jacobs said the federal railway administration grant they've received is moving forward as well.
"We know it's not going away, it's an ongoing issue," Jacobs said. "It continues to be an issue for people, both pedestrians, people walking across the tracks as well, we've seen people be injured or killed, both on foot and in cars."
For a city with a history around trains and commerce, officials are building a way the two can coexist into the future safely and efficiently. Trains cross through busy intersections in town, including at Erwin Road/Main Street and tracks run between Pettigrew Street and Main Street through the downtown area.
"The origin of Durham is around a railroad stop in downtown Durham that Bartlett Durham offered, and the city of Durham and the county of Durham have grown up around the railroad," Jacobs said.
"That's why there are so many grade crossings for railroads in Durham, especially in downtown Durham."
In March, a freight train collided with a car and in January, a pedestrian was hit by a train.
In March 2024, a man died from being hit by an Amtrak train at Peabody Street. That came a day before someone was hit and killed behind Hillsborough Road.
"The study is the first step," Jacobs said. "After you do the study, then you can move forward with the recommendations of trying to find funding to make the changes, but in the meantime, people need to be very careful."